Theirs Not to Make Reply
by Hell's Hitman
Summary: The Three Kingdoms Era. One of China's bloodiest historical periods. And who bled? The people! Take a trip through the turmoil of these brutal times, from the eyes of common peasant soldiers. Please R&R.
1. Prologue: Many Meetings Pt 1

A/N: You've probably killed gazillions of soldiers in Dynasty Warriors, unlike me, coz I suk at it…But anyway, it got me thinking, it's the wise officers, the devoted warriors, the valiant generals, the ambitious commanders who are glorified today in Luo Guangzhou's heavily touted book. And yet, this time period was one of the bloodiest in Chinese history in terms of losses of men in battle. They're the ones who bled and died by the thousands to preserve their leaders' names for posterity, for us. This is a tribute to those unknown soldiers. It's nothing else but the 100 pure grit and soul of the hard-fighting peasant-soldiers of the time. Hope y'all like it.

Warning: Unfortunately, this will not be true to the Three Kingdoms storyline (It's practically impossible for me anyways. I'm new to Dynasty Warriors and am looking this stuff up as I go. I've never read the book...cries) as events will happen much quicker and will be different from history as I have a bias towards Wu, but how this ends…Well, just wait and see. Also, I will include mostly only the DW characters, as that's the game I'm familiar with. Aside from that, there will be extreme violence and gore, plus the obscene vocabulary that usually develops in any army. There might be sexual scenes later on, I'm not sure yet, but things are bound to happen when you go pillage a city…I'll bump it up to R then…

Disclaimer: I don't own Dynasty Warriors. Koei does…Duh!

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**Theirs Not to Make Reply**

Prologue:Many Meetings Pt. 1

"MEAT! MEAT! Meat for sale!"

The cry rang once more in the ears of the young man, alternating with the sound of blade banging against board as he carved another piece of the advertised product. He let out a sigh as he stood straight once more and handed it out to an impatient customer. "Here you go, ma'am," he groaned dully.

The storeowner heard this and chided him; "Greet them with a smile, you numbskull! How many times have I told you that?"

The twelve year old looked at him for a moment and then just went back to his chopping board. But before the man fully forgot his irate question, the kid replied, "Since we moved here from Xia Pi and left mom…Thirty-seven."

The man was too busy looking for more customers to give him more than an irritated glare. Jiang Lei sighed. His father was always looking for more customers. It was like every person was a piece of gold to his dad and he was so busy with making some bling that he didn't have time for anything else…not even his son. He then realized he had no more meat on hand. He had to get some more. "Hey, dad!"

But he didn't hear…"Hey, sir. Would you be interested…" and off he went into that enthralling sales talk of his that sent him into his own little world along with the other person in tow…most of the time. But this man, who seemed quite dignified and was wearing and gold-bordered green shirt, setting him out to be a nobleman. A few more moments and Jiang Lei recognized him as the owner of that stall at the end of the market called "Straw-Mart".

Well…his dad wasn't gonna swindle that man out of anything, that was for sure. This, well, he never could remember his name, nobleman was supposedly saving up some big bucks for well, no one else really knew. There were lots of rumours and he picked up most of them from talking to costumers but nothing definitive.

Jiang Lei's chain of thought was cut off when his father called, "Well, what is it son? Sir Liu Bei here wants some meat. Just get a few slices of bacon. Says he don't want to spend much…Saving up for something. Says he's getting armour…"

"Um…it was about that, dad. I've got to get meat from the storage well. We're out," and with that he turned away and walked off to the storage a little ways behind the stall. As he walked slowly, his mind wandered. So this…Liu Bei…was buying armour. Finally, he had the last link in the chain of gossip.

In these times, there was only one reason why a man would buy armour: the Yellow Turbans. The rebellion had been on and off for nine years now, since the third Guang He but fully got underway only five years back, and thus causing a change of reign year names to the first Zhong Ping then, although the change from 'Radiant Harmony' to 'Central Stability' didn't exactly describe the actual events.

But all that was history now. What mattered was that after nine years of fighting, the Han still haven't put down those turban-wearing fanatics, or at least, that's what some said they were wearing. From those 'Wanted!' signs the Han put up, they seemed more like scarves to the kid. But who cared about his opinion anyway, unless it matched those of thousands of other people.

That opinion was that this rebellion better be put down soon or we might as well help the Yellow dudes kick out the weak Emperor and see if that Way of Peace deal they have was much better. And so the Emperor had declared that the Regent Marshall He Jin was amassing a grand army to crush the rebellion once and for all. Now if he could only gather troops fast enough, for the Great Teacher, Zhang Jiao, had heard of this as well and was amassing his own army south of the Ji Province, and was much closer to readiness.

Only a pair of stalling operations in Xi Liang and Jizhou itself was slowing him down. While those battles resolved themselves, the vast land between the two provinces was in an uproar, people choosing which side to support…Which was Liu Bei's?

He was there but he was too lost in thought to even look at what he was reaching into. But he never got to that part. Before his hand could get into the first of the meat racks that should be in there, his fingers ran up against a rock…a humongous rock…

"Uh…um…Oi, DAD! We've got a problem here! A big problem…literally!" he cried out as he stepped back from the boulder. What was that doing there?

His father came running out, followed by Liu Bei. All the older Jiang could say was, "Holy…I'll get help!" and then ran off, starting quite a commotion in the marketplace.

After a few awkward moments of silence, Lei asked the older man, "Um…so what are you buying the armour for?"

"I'm going to war…I'm not just buying armour, young man. I'm trying to muster a force of volunteers to assist the Regent Marshall," Bei replied solemnly. Lei considered this. Could this be away to finally be free of his money-grabbing dad. He never gave him enough of what they earned. True, he was 12…But all he got was food…and just enough of it to live. His curiosity was now at an all-time high. If he could be part of this…

"That would mean decent pay, right? I mean, if I would be part of that…"

"Part of this? Young man, war is a business for well-trained soldiers. You have not seen it up close. Do you really wish to be part of this bleeding business? It will not be pleasant…and that is an understatement, mind you…" Liu Bei replied, amused at the notion.

"Yah, but ain't it true an army marches on its stomach?" he pointed out as he spun the knife his fingers still held deftly. He resumed, "Armies need servants, page boys, assistants…maybe shield bearers and musicians…And all are young kids. How 'bout it?"

"I'm about to start recruitment soon. You'll hear when it does. Then, come and I'll decide…" Liu Bei replied reluctantly

"What's there to decide? Make me your first hiree!" Lei enthused.

Liu Bei answered slowly, "Well, um…Oh, look, that man's actually managed to move the rock. Jolly good show, don't you think?" and finally manage to change the subject. Lei turned to see the man, who was receiving many, many praises from his dad. Then, his greedy father did something unexpected, after the man, and a hecl of a lot of man he was, being very tall, refused his gift of meat. He declared free meat for everyone…which suked…He'd be doing a LOT of chopping then…

As he started on the first customer, who was Liu Bei, when he got back to the stall, he asked, "Well?"

"I'll think about it, okay?" Liu Bei insisted.

"Why not no-" Lei started but suddenly, a crate flew right between them. He turned and saw the same huge man faced with another huge man he knew of more, the drunkard Zhang Fei, and the drunk was yelling something incoherent.

He groaned as he, Bei, his dad and everyone else, started trying to find cover, "This does not look good!"

* * *

"Ting, not another one?" cried the man exasperatedly as he glared at his ten year old daughter. He sighed as he cleaned the cut on her upper right arm and started wrapping it with a white cloth. "So who did you get into a fight with this time?" groaned the man, waiting impatiently for an explanation from the young girl.

The little brunette with a ponytail huffed angrily as she stood up, putting a lot of effort into making her face not twist into a grimace as her bruised leg unsteadily took her weight, "It was the spiky-haired pirate kid who's into tattoos. He said girls like me don't belong on a ship, much less a pirate ship and I replied that you always said, that the sea is our true home and anybody who says different is gonna get his ass kicked. He said back it up…and so I did."

"You mean you tried to! That kid was four years older than you, and much bigger. I don't want you getting hurt, Ting-Ting…please…Not when we are so close…" her father replied, first, furiously, and then pleadingly.

The girl put her hands on her hips, hiding a wince as pain shot through her right arm from sudden motion, "I did hurt him, dad! He's sporting three slashes right now. I'm gonna be a pirate just like you, papa, and I'll do my best with my twin swords to prove anyone who says different wrong."

Her dad sighed. The young woman had grown up believing his mates stories of nautical glory. Piracy was so twisted in her mind that it was a noble endeavour to her instead of the crime it should be. Her mom had died of pirates. If only he could tell her, but that would break all her little hopes and dreams. How to convince her that piracy was not good? Well, he had to give it a shot sometime, "Ting, I've always wanted to tell you this…I never wanted to be a pirate. I used to be a fisherman and was just pressed into service when I was captured along with you when you were a baby. Piracy is not a good thing to do. For years and years, I've been trying to leave, but I've never managed to gather enough money to survive…Until now…"

Ting's face turned gloomy, "We're getting a big pay-off, dad. Yes, I know. 'Meet on the banks of the Chang Jiang…' was what they said. But why do you want to leave piracy so bad. All those glorious victories and your best friends. Won't you miss them?"

Best friends? Glorious victories? How many lies had his soon-to-be former pirate mates put into her tender mind? To be aggressive and ill-informed…if his little Xiang Ting did not lose that characteristic soon, something bad was gonna happen to her, unless he took her away from danger. Precisely the plan he was about to put into action…

They were now walking along the shoreline of the Chang Jiang and he could see the boats in the river. Most were plain; although there was a majestic little boat adorned with a few tigers, rowed by a large, muscular, dark-skinned man, that stood out from the rest. If only the pirates weren't busy dividing up loot, then that boat wouldn't have been there for long.

For there the pirates were, on the coast, openly sharing out the plunder. The head of the pirates greeted and smiled at his young daughter, who made a face and stuck out her tongue. She then hurried off to talk to another of the rowdy sailors who were discussing what to buy with their gold. The chief chuckled, "Been fightin' again, eh? She's quite the fiery type, and yet so young. She would have become a great fighter. Tell me, my good man, why you are so sure that leaving us will be the best for you?"

"Not for me, sir. For her…Look at her! She has a bandage wrapped across half her upper arm, and that's not the first time I've had to do it. Plus, she has an aching leg. She gets into fights way too easily. I don't want her mixing it up with rowdy young boys, especially when those young boys turn into rowdy young men," he snarled. His mind had always been horrified at the thought of…well, he'd rather not think about it.

The pirate chief was about to give his reluctant assent, when a man cried out something about the red boat they'd seen earlier. The older Xiang turned, to see the boat…only it was heading straight for them!

It had neared the shallows and there was a man who now stood at it's fore, sword in hand. Any pirate worth his blade would recognize the figure in question without a second thought, recognized it and feared it.

"L-lord H-hu Yu. I-it's Sun Jian, the T-tiger of J-jiang Dong!" stuttered out a man who had come behind the older Xiang and the pirate chief Hu Yu, with the younger Xiang trailing him. Yes, the figure in question was undoubtedly, the Grand Administrator of Chang Sha himself, Sun Wentai, the pirate-hunter extraordinaire.

Chief Hu Yu growled, "I can see that, you dolt. When you're done stating the obvious, maybe you're gonna go and do something that's bloody useful! He's only one man. He could be bluffing…"

But then the man jumped into the shallows, followed by the large dark-skinned rower and he waved his hand to both the left and right in an unmistakable gesture of calling for troops to move in. Where could those troops be hidden? But it did not matter. Some of the pirates had already started to run.

"Then again, he might not be…Let us withdraw!" declared Hu Yu as he saw Sun Jian and his companion about to charge. Suddenly, behind them in the water, landed two more men…er, not exactly men, as one was but a boy of about fourteen, twirling a pair of the weirdest weapons they had ever seen. The other was of the wrong gender completely, and as she landed, the older Xiang couldn't help but stare at the picture of dignified and noble beauty in front of him, thrust into battle. She was somewhere in the early thirties, her brown hair elaborately arrange and ending in a long braid behind her back and she charged forward in her tight silken clothes, with a sword in hand.

Suddenly, he felt a tugging on his sleeve and he looked down to see his little Ting, staring at him worriedly, "Why is everybody else running? We can beat them, can't we, dad?"

"I don't know, Ting. We must withdraw as well. The others believe it is the best course of action…" he tried to say, but the young girl had now drawn her twin sabers from their sheaths that hung crossed over one another on her back. She ran forward, without a care that she'd never fought anyone before older than fifteen, right at Sun Jian himself. The thirty-four year old halted, surprised at the audacity of the youngster, who was desperately being chased by who seemed to be her father.

Xiang Ting leaped into the air and both of her sabers clanged against the Tiger's sword. She bounced off and landed, her feet causing a splash in the water. She spun her sabers swiftly and swung them in front of her, the right one going for the waist and the left, for the head. But she never managed to bring them across.

She stumbled back, trying to recover her balance after being pulled by her ponytail. Her father was suddenly in front of her. And as he stood in front of her, he heard once more, his father's unsteady, pleading voice, "Please, T-ting, go! Now! Please…" and he only spared one last look at his daughter before charging the great general. Where those tears in his eyes? She never learned if they were, for moments later, the tip of Sun Jian's sword went through to his back, and after it was pulled out, he collapsed into the river, lifeless. The river washed the tears away as it mingled with his blood.

Xiang Ting screamed. Then she ran…but not away. She ran forward once more, she had but one thought: To put a blade through Sun Jian's heart. Her father had wished for her to have a new life. That wish had died, drowned by the screams in her head for revenge as the cruel Chang Jiang drowned the rest of the life from her papa. But once again, she never reached it, but this time, the force sent her forward, and not back.

Her brain ground to a halt as the heavy object impacted. Her knees dropped down onto the submerged sand, and all was black.

* * *

"Next! Name?"

"Kong Long of Ru Nan, sir!"

"Age?"

"Sixteen, sir!'

"Any skills, trades, or useful experience with weaponry?"

"Not really, sir. But I was a construction worker, sir!" the teen replied and then sighed. He was still quite young. Without any previous weapons experience, would they let him join?

"You can help with camp set-up then. Hmm…what unit to assign you to? From Lord Yuan Shao's hometown, but his unit's fairly full…" wondered the recruiter out loud. Kong Long finally grinned, "You mean…I'm gonna be a soldier? Er…sir!"

The man smiled, "Since you were already talking like one even if you were not, I figured I'd let you in. But seriously, we need every single man we can muster. Unless you'll be a liability in any way, we won't turn you down."

"Okay then, sir…" answered Long, still quite excited. The man was still puzzling over the unit to choose, "Hmm…which weapon would you be good at…What kind of construction work did you do?"

"Um…surveying, carpentry…I was pretty fast with the hands and good with numbers. And they said I had good eyes…"

"Then he should be a crossbowman. Fast hands, keen eyes. The perfect crossbowman, wouldn't you say?" came a new voice. The recruiter turned and suddenly kneeled before him,"Lo-lord Cao Cao! What brings you here, sir?"

Kong Long followed his lead and so did everyone else down the line. Cao smiled, "Recruitment. I need more troops assigned to me. Start with him, and proceed down the line."

"But sir, we were told to spread them out ove-" the recruiter tried to say but two other men appeared, one a good sized man with black hair and a large keen blade and the other a bigger man with a powerful club and a sturdy bow. Cao then hinted, "These are my cousins, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan. They are going to be my officers and have said they will follow my orders AND punish those who do not. Is that understood?"

"Y-yes, sir." The recruiter replied and then Yuan stepped forward. He pulled Kong Long up and seemed very menacing but suddenly grinned, "Don't worry, kid. I'm only like that to scare folks. I'm a fair man, and being a crossbowman, you'll be under me. Which is good. I pity the infantry under my bro…but as I said, don't worry about that."

Kong Long nodded, "Yes, sir, Lord Xiahou Yuan, sir." Xiahou Yuan's grin got even bigger but Dun only snarled behind him.

Yuan replied, "So you've learned a bit of army talk? Good on ya, mate. But that sounded quite ridiculous, dontcha think?"

Kong Long just nodded. Xiahou Yuan added, "Well, I look forward to seeing you with a crossbow. You seem to be a good man. 'Till then, Kong Long."

Kong Long nodded once more and then stopped, 'How'd you know my name?"

"Keen eyes, remember? Mr. Recruiter here wrote it down in bold characters. Well, bye," answered Yuan who then ran off to catch up with Cao Cao and Xiahou Dun, both of whom were already leaving.

The recruiter waited and there was an awkward moment of silence. He then continued, "Kong Long of Ru Nan, you are now a soldier of Cao Cao's forces. Please report to his camp to the north of town and show this slip to the quartermasters. They will give you your crossbow and some light armour."

Kong Long bowed, "Thank you, sir! I will fight my best for the Emperor. He has the true Mandate of Heaven, not those rebels."

The recruiter sighed. Yet another life going to be wasted on this war…unless he survives it. Why can't the Han put this down? They should finish this now before the times get even more turbulent, especially since the current emperor is sick and may be about to die. He called after him as he turned to leave, "Good luck, kid…You'll need it!"

"Thank you, sir!" Long replied and the recruiter turned back to the line.

"Next! Name?"

* * *

The little girl strutted along happily, with a bow slung across her back crossed over a quiver of arrows and her crook striking the ground quite cheerily with each step she took. A small flock of sheep followed her along in the bracing winds of the northern steppes in the late afternoon. She had taken them out for the day and watched them graze and made sure no wolves came near them…The usual…

The nine year old loved taking the sheep to the fields while the rest of her family worked on the farm. She loved running around with the woolly animals and she even sang songs to them once in a while, like she was doing now:

"…It's where I sheared my first lamb,

Where I learned about Confucius

It's where I shot my first wolf and hacked it all to pieces.

I learned the path to heaven,

Is for the shepherds and noblemen.

Learned that happiness on earth,

Ain't just for folks of high birth.

I learned that everything changes,

On this mountain road…"

She stopped as she heard a commotion past a bend on the road that was blocked from her sight by a large up cropping of rock. It sounded like someone was being hurt. No, more like a bunch of someone's as many screams flooded past her ears. She pulled out her bow on instinct, just like every time she'd been in danger in the short life she had lived thus far. She ran slowly to hide behind the rock and was about to peek out when a gnarled, bloody body suddenly went past it…or at least half a body.

The legs of the man had been separated from him and he now lay. The girl was surprised and was about to scream in fear when she heard that more fighting was going behind her. She did not want to reveal herself. If they saw her and thought she was an enemy, there was no knowing what they would do. What chance did a nine-year-old girl with a bow have against a bunch of armed grown-ups?

She studied the mangled body of the man and saw the many bloody cuts that ran all over his torso. She pitied the poor thing but stopped when she saw the yellow scarf around his neck. She shivered. So this were the evil people her mom was talking about? Then he got what he'd deserved. Why would people want to be evil anyways if they knew this was what they deserved? They're stupid.

Suddenly, the wind blew stronger and something snapped. The head rolled right of the body and the little girl could not take it anymore. She screamed, stood up and started running away. But the shock of the rolling head had baffled her sense of direction and she ended up running into the middle of the fight instead of back to her sheep.

Well, she actually ran into the middle of the end result of the fight. A lone man stood there, his white, green and gold armour splattered with blood. She ran up straight to him and hugged him tight, scared by all the battered bodies of yellow scarf wearing people lying on the ground. She didn't care that she'd never seen the man before. She was scared and that was what mattered.

The man turned, his spear at the ready and levelled to his fore, thinking another opponent was attacking him. But all that was in front of him was air…until he looked down and saw a young screaming blonde with short hair run up to him in fear.

He lowered his weapon and asked, "What's wrong?"

There was a long period of silence before she answered, "I-I was scared…That's all." She blushed as she looked up and let go. She then continued, "S-sorry to bother you, sir. I'll be heading home then," and then she started off towards her sheep who were calmly waiting as if nothing at all had happened.

The man started after her, "Hey, little girl. Wait…I have been sidetracked by those Yellow Turban Rebels and am now lost. Would you know the way to the Jizhou Province?

"Uh…I dunno, but my mom might now. You wanna come home with me?" she asked innocently, her mom never having taught her how to deal with strangers.

"Well, I'm actually looking for a place to stay for the night. It's quite embarrassing, being a wandering warrior and yet managing to get lost when I finally passed once more again through my home county of Chang Shan," he blurted out. The girl nodded and slung her bow on her back once more, picking up her shepherd's crook.

"Well, just mind you don't hurt the sheep and don't go to fast as you're gonna be on a horse and I'm not. Oh…and my name's Zhi Chang!" she replied.

"Oh, I'll just lead my horse on and walk. I'm very pleased to meet you, Zhi Chang. I'm Zhao Yun. I'm from these lands but I haven't been here in a while. I'm on my way to Jizhou as I was hired by Lord Yuan Shao to help defeat the Yellow Turbans," the man replied and smiled.

"Turbans? They look like scarves to me…" Chang asked, confused and Zhao Yun just laughed. They walked along merrily, Zhao Yun trying to convince the little Chang that they were indeed turbans and not scarves. But Chang suddenly halted as they got to a flat plain…and the smouldering ashes of what used to be a bountiful farm.

Chang took one look at the scene and then fell to her knees and cried. Her family…her home…her dreams…lost in one fell swoop. She swooned and leaned against Zhao Yun. He asked, "Is...Is that your…?" but she nodded before he could finish.

He then continued, "Well…I dunno what to do with you then. I can't leave you here, Zhi Chang. Without a family…We'll stay in the ruins for tonight, and then we'll head to town in the morning and sell your sheep and see what we can do with the money for you. After that, I guess…I guess I'd have to take you with me. I'm really sorry, Chang."

She sobbed, "I-it's n-not your f-fault. And I-if I hadn't r-run into you, I-I'd be dead. W-who could h-have d-done this to us, t-though?" Suddenly, a scrap of cloth blew towards them, floating in the wind…

Chang grabbed the half-charred scarf out of the air. It was yellow…The Yellow Turbans…

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A/N: Well, that's that…If you're not liking any of the OCs yet, well, you've still got 4 more chances…Yes, there's still four more OCs left and I'll introduce them next chapter. BTW, I happen to be looking for a beta-reader. If you wanna be mine, please say so in a review and either give me your e-mail address or if you don't want anybody else finding out, I will edit this story and put my e-mail address in it so you can send an e-mail to it and only I will know…OK? And don't worry, the chapters won't get any longer than this…It's just coz' of this ad an the long intro…And oh yeah, please read and review! 


	2. Prologue: Many Meetings Pt 2

A/N: Ok, so this is the other half of the prologue…I'm guessing some of you may wanna know what happens to the first four already but that'll be next chapter…or is it? MWAHAHAHA! j/k

Disclaimer: I don't own Dynasty Warriors. Koei does…Duh!

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Theirs Not to Make Reply**

Prologue: Many Meetings Pt. 2

Tears streamed from his eyes as more dirt fell on the body, finally obscuring the whole form. He stuck the shovel into the pile of dirt and once more heaved soil onto the tomb. A few more repetitions and he was finally done the unhappy business. He knelt down and left a single flower on top of the grave. Well, that was it…He was all alone now…Thirteen and already an orphan. It wasn't his fault his parents married late.

He knew he couldn't stay here. No chance he could run the farm all by himself…not that he wanted to. But where could he go? No relatives, and his friends families' were all too poor to support him as well as their own children. He had nothing to cling to then, except his ideas…

"Hey, WAKE UP, kid!"

Yong Hu jumped up from beneath the straw mat he'd been sleeping under beside the parked ox cart. He sighed. Yet another dream about those dreadful days two years ago. Why won't it stop? He glared at the man who woke him up, a peasant like him and yet he carried a spear instead of a hoe or a fishing pole. Wait…a spear!

Yong Hu stumbled back, yelling in a semi-forced accent he'd tried to pick up to make him sound like he'd always been in the city, "Hey, what the fuck? If you want a ride, just ask, dude!"

The spearman glared at him. "Our leader and his brothers want a ride. Make sure you give him the respect they deserve."

"Them…" groaned Hu sarcastically, correcting the spearman's grammar.

"Them deserve?"

"Give them…"

"Oh….Argh, whatever, kid. Just saddle up your ox, and lay down the table in the middle as well. The teacher would love to use it for discussion," the angry spear wielder grunted, wearily.

"You know, that's extra," smiled Yong Hu as he climbed into the back and started laying out the table in the middle of the ox cart. Discussion…heh, another polite term for a drinking party, most likely, which was mostly what the table was used for when the ox cart was on the move, aside from a game of Mah-jongg or on rare occasions, Go…for the pieces often got shook up on the rougher bumps in the country roads…However, around the city it was just fine. But the spearman just shrugged.

"The master knows everything. So shut up and get ready," was the reply as the man went off to fetch this master or teacher or leader or whatever he was.

Whatever he was became much easier to guess a few minutes later. He was…well…some high and holy leader guy, was what he was…dressed in long yellow robes. Then again, he could just be a lunatic pretending to be an important official. But why would Hu care? If he paid for his ride, money was money and he'd take it.

The group approached. Hu bowed. He didn't want to but there was something about the man that made him feel like bowing. What was it? His wise looks? His noble walk? His dazzling yellow robes? Whatever…

He shrugged as all of them boarded and went onto his place at the head but the leading man put a hand on his shoulder. The man said, "Child, is this really your true calling in life?"

For one brief instant, the features…they were…they were his dad…But it couldn't be. Who was he to question what destiny had brought him? His dad was dead and now, fifteen, this was his job…An ox cart driver…Right?

He shrugged again, "I take what I get and I try to turn it into something…It's life."

"Ah, yes, life. To turn what you get into something. But true life…to turn what you get into something worthwhile…" and with that the man boarded his cart. Hu tilted his head to one side. The man might be onto something. He went to the front seat and hopped on, whipping the reins of the ox as he grasped them. But the lumbering brute didn't move. It just stood there.

Hu jumped off. "Now what in 'tarnation is your problem, eh? You maddafucking, son of a bitch…" he grumbled, slapping the ox's back. He continued spouting out furious insults too unholy to mention as his attempt to get the cart mobile where foiled…at least, too unholy for the seemingly holy passenger's ears.

"Boy, please. If you want to change something, then what you need is action, not words," he called calmly to the struggling kid, who was now pulling on the harness, and had incredibly actually moved the ox two steps but no more.

"I am taking action, dammit!"

"Not that way…"

"Then, if you're so smart, why don't you try pulling it?"

The old man thought for a second then answered slowly, "I'm an old man, son. This is not for my weary bones. But, this is similar to your life, don't you say. A situation you want to change, and can't, but not for lack of trying. You just go about it the wrong way."

Hu was still furious, "That's a whole load of BULL…and so's this situation!" but he realized moments later from his face that the man was actually serious. He slowly continued, "So, what do you do to change YOUR situation in life, eh, smartyrobes?"

The eyes of the man started to burn into him as he started his words, "You try everything. Go all out, child. Be radical…even fanatical. If you want something in life, reach out and grab it by the horns." Hu was surprised by the fieriness of the senior and he was confused by the words. They sorta made sense, but something felt missing. Then again, maybe he was taking this stuff too deep. Hmm…He grinned.

Hu grabbed the horns of the stubborn bovine to the surprise of both the creature and everyone in the cart. The ox panicked and stampeded forward, Hu being catapulted by the force of movement behind the beast, and yet he just rode the momentum and landed, upright, in the driver's seat. The cart was moving, all right, and he was still grinning wildly.

The old man was the first to recover his composure and was confounded by Hu's smile and the fact that he had also now grabbed a strange stringed instrument and was playing an odd tune.

Hu explained, his heavy southern rural accent now showing clearly, "Heh…Ha'n't done dat fer o'er two 'ears now. E'er since I lost me dad, I's a been tryin' ta ferget da countryside, y'know…And oh, this…It's called a qin-pipa, until I think of a betta' name. Man, it's fun ta play."

The man just stared at him, surprised at why the kid was so cheerful after almost being gored, "Ehem…well…you do realize I meant life, right?"

The kid replied, "Yah. I like yer advice. But ya missed one thin' Ya should neva' ferget yer roots, liked I tried ta do for two 'ears. Now I know. Ya got anymore of that life counsellin' stuff?"

Now, it was the old man's turn to grin, "Only a whole way of living it…"

Hu's eyebrow rose, then he replied, "Tell me 'bout this 'ere way…"

"Of Peace…"

* * *

Dust rose of the ground as a foot hit it, followed by another, and another, in rapid succession. Someone was running. Well, two someones. 

Actually, two someones were running in the first group, the group pursuing them…Well, it had a lot of someones, and it was intent on their heads.

Why had everything just have to go wrong? The first someone's legs hurt from the intense running she'd been doing just to keep up even the minimal chance they had left to pull it off. Good thing her dearly departed father had always loved to take her hunting back in the day. She was used to the long runs and this was her ground. Despite being just fourteen, she knew the land better than anyone else alive who was now on that trail. The problem was, it was pretty much the only advantage she and her companion had.

Firstly, for a hunter…er, -ess, feeling like the prey in a chase was not very encouraging. Also, they were smaller than their pursuers, but they carried more weight, for the other group carried only weapons, while they had their few possessions with them as well as some weapons to protect them. Also, there was that obvious numerical advantage the chasing group had. This was one race they couldn't win by brute strength. They had to play it smart.

Brute…what a versatile adjective. That's what their stepfather was, too. He was bad enough that way, which was why the two had no idea why their mom had loved him obsessively. But then, he joined this cult, coming home with a yellow scarf or whatever it was around his neck and things just got creepy. Then, one day, their mom was wearing the scarf as well, and that was when they planned to bolt from the house. Nobody was supposed to notice…but it seems the rest of their step-dad's buddies had been watching them closely.

And so they were stuck in this current predicament, outnumbered and exhausted, and most importantly, the girl was worrying about her greatest burden…No, she wasn't a burden…she was…an inspiration. The way she kept going, despite being more exhausted than the fourteen year old, took nothing but pure guts. Her beloved younger sister was twelve, and was too young to hunt when their real dad died. She never learned the ways of the wild and yet she went on, bent but unbowed, not daunted by all the odds against the two of them. If anything else, no matter what happened, the fourteen year old was determined her sibling would not fall into the brute's clutches, even if it meant the sacrifice of herself.

But that might not be needed. The elder suddenly grabbed the younger by the shoulder and pulled her off through the shrub, the branches and spiny leaves slashing and stinging their arms. They emerged off on a smaller path and stopped, panting.

"This should slow them down, eh, Ming Ue?" exclaimed the younger cheerily after looking around to another of her older sister's detours.

"Whatever, Sing…We gotta keep going," the elder replied seriously. She was running out of backwoods paths to run off to but they still had to keep going, so she hauled her sister, who had decided to take a seat beneath one of the trees. The twelve year old furiously shook her head.

"Sis…I've got nothing left. I was hoping this was the last detour. I'm out," Sing replied, her tone changing rapidly to dejection. Ming Ue frowned. And to think the only reason she was still going was because of her sister. Then again, maybe that's what Sing was thinking too. She turned around, planning to pace, when suddenly all hell broke loose…erm…all heaven…well, the army of the General of Heaven…um, a part of it…yes, a small part…but still overwhelming to the two girls.

Ming Ue got her spear ready and the sharp point tore into the intestines of the first turban through the brush...no, the wearer of the turban…scarf…whatever it was…Anyways, Sing got her bow out and struggled with pulling the string back, releasing desperately as one rebel got close…and missing…right into the head of the one behind that rebel. Meanwhile, the closing rebel was knocked down flat by Ming Ue's swirling spear. She then spun around, leaning on the shaft for support and nailed another fanatic in the jaw. As she stopped to regain her balance, she yelled, "Sing, get outta here!"

Her sister made to get up but faltered, unsure if she should help or obey. Then, two strong arms wrapped around Ming Ue and she struggled, ramming the guy's eye with the butt end of her spear. The guy spun around, dazed but still holding her tight and for a moment, she saw the brilliant fire of magic blaze towards her, intent on her incineration, from the staff of one sorceror. Her eyes widened in fear, helpless as a deer in the sights of a hunter's bow.

But as the flames flickered close to her skin, moments from consuming her in an inferno, she fell to the ground. She rolled over, only to wish she hadn't; her sister had tackled her and now occupied the space where she had been…Moments later, she and her former assailant was gone.

Ming Ue staggered up, stunned. She grabbed her spear and the only thing left by her sister, a metal bracelet engraved with a unicorn. She clutched it and then put it on. She had nothing left to live for…and she had everything to die for…and so did the Turbans.

She charged towards the men, fire blazing in her eyes, but they fled. The girl stopped, confused. Had her rage been that terrifying?

Then, the hoof beats finally registered in her ears. She turned around to see horsemen. Lots of them…

Unbeknownst to her, they had travelled into the forest at the same time that the vanguard of the mighty Qiang nomadic army was riding to the aid of the Han at the request of the Governor of Xi Liang.

The horsemen halted in front of her and a mighty voiced asked curiously, "Is that you…Yun Lu?"

She shook her head, "Sorry, I am not this Yun Lu."

The man lowered his head, as dejectedly as her sister had earlier…Agh! She had to stop thinking about her, or she'd go crazy. "But you look so much like her, she's only about a year younger though. But at least you are safe. We'd best get along. Nice meeting you, Lady…er…I believe I have not had the pleasure of knowing your name."

"I do not deserve that title, kind sir, and knowing my name is not a pleasure for my family is but a disgrace. But if you do wish to know it, then I am Gao Ming Ue. And you sir?"

The man shot her a curious glance, as if he'd heard the name before, then he replied with a mighty flourish and a wave of his spear, "I am the Sword of Justice, Ma Chao, son of Ma Teng, the General who Conquers the West!"

She tilted her head to the side and replied with her own odd look. Ma Teng…That name…wait, that was the guy her mom had flirted with before this turban dude. In fact, she had flirted with him while dad was alive. They had a daughter, who stayed with Ma Teng…and could like her! This daughter…could she be? This Yun Lu…was she? Everything was confused in her mind.

The nineteen-year-old teen tapped her shoulder, pulling her out of the daze. He said, "Usually people would react oddly when I say it like that but you were the first one to be stunned. It's always more along the lines of, 'Bu-bu-but you carry a spear?'"

She forced a giggle, "Um…I was just thinking. Well, I have nowhere to go, not even home. Maybe I can just ride with you, and help find your Yun Lu, and then I'll just figure out where I can go next. I have sharp eyes from hunting. Should help."

The man nodded, "Well, you can ride behind me. Let's saddle up then."

Ming Ue followed and got on with her spear and belongings to hand. If Yun Lu really was her half-sister…then she had a second chance, and by the heavens, as those Turbans so loved to swear, she'd make sure not to screw this one up as well…

* * *

"Dammit! Dig, you bastards, dig!" called a sergeant to the ranks of men preparing the base. 

One of the younger kids suddenly piped up, "Hey! Orphan, I may be; peasant, I may be; but I am not illegitimate!"

"Why don't you just shut up and dig, kid?"

The thirteen year old's face burned with anger, "My name is not 'kid'. Call me Chen Shing!"

"Well, if you dig, we might actually get a Chen Shing. Great victory, my ass," and the sergeant strutted off.

Man, and to think he'd agreed to leave the mines north of Chang An to become a servant in the army. He did it just to get away from the digging, and here he was…digging…But at least it wasn't underground here.

Then again, he'd never been worked this hard in the mines. Trench after trench, palisade after palisade, mound after mound. What was up with all these defensive positions anyways? They were supposed to attack and clear out those turbans from the highlands of Xi Liang. This was anything but attacking.

Though it made sense as somehow, the Turbans had taken it upon themselves to be the offensive, launching more and more desperate attacks. The reason behind such tactics was lost on the young kid. Why not sit back and wait for the enemy to expend their energy trying? But why was he complaining? That meant the war would be over faster.

However, when the Yellow Turbans were desperate, they were really desperate. No philosopher was needed to discern the signs of desperation, what with the phantom soldiers, sudden tornadoes, falling meteors, even a brainwashed battalion and those extremely annoying large boulders that came rolling down on the camp. In fact, one would have crushed the command tent had it managed to get over the last mound that had been built to stop it…but that was Shing's mound and no way was that boulder going anywhere on his watch.

Not like he got appreciation for it though. Just a gruff 'Good job' from that strutting sergeant. Well, it was the only time he'd ever said that to him so he'd take what he got. Shing now started digging again, extending the new trench around the camp. Well, at least they stuck him to something he was good at. In fact, it was the only thing he was good at it. No…that wasn't true. There was one more thing he was good at. Something he'd always been experimenting with in the mines and had done good at many a rush job.

Explosives.

And yet the army insisted there was no practical use for it. No practical use! Imbeciles. If they let him handle 'em, they'd have ten trenches here in a day, not two. Just because he was thirteen didn't mean he was dumb, and yet they all laughed at him, especially that stupid pig of a commander whose life had been saved by Shing's defensive mound. If he could just die. Yet without him, the whole province would fall to the rabid fanatics.

Chen Shing decided to spare a look around before swinging another blow with his pick and so he looked up, to see the trail this new trench was supposed to cut across, only for dust to fly into his eyes from the clouds left behind by the steps of a thundering horse. Shing decided to spare the cursing and listen to what the horseman was shouting.

"The Qiang are here! They're finally here! We outnumber the rebels now! The Qiang are here!"

And then the horsemen disappeared in to the camp. Outnumber the rebels? That means, the offensive…and no more digging! The gods bless those nomads. They kept to their agreement. They were gonna run the rebs out of the hills now. He grinned, "These Qiang…Man, I like 'em already…"

More horsemen emerged down the trail, unmistakably a force of cavalry. A large one.

The Qiang.

He squinted through the dust but could not see what they looked like. He got out of the trench and just waited for them, unconsciously joining into the loud cheer that started from the scattered ranks of the Han force. He smiled as he saw the fat commander appear and begrudgingly join in the cheer. But the lousy pig still had the gall to call these noble reinforcements, "Barbarians…Grr…I'd rather be fighting those fools than helping them slaughter people who could serve me. General who Conquers the West…hah, these Qiang don't look conquered at all. If that idiot Ma Teng thinks we can trust these people, then he doesn't deserve that title."

However, most everybody else didn't hear his comments as they cheered while the head of the column passed by. The man at the head, a flamboyant teen, declared, "I am Ma Chao, son of Ma Teng, with the vanguard of the reinforcements we have gained from the alliance my father has recently forged with the Qiang."

Shing didn't really care though, even if he'd announced he was actually the Great Teacher himself coming to surrender. He only had eyes for another pair of riders, female ones, about his age.

Both noticed him and giggled as they rode on, chatting merrily, leaving the blue-eyed kid glued to watching their faces. Man, he was REALLY liking the Qiang, alright…

* * *

"Y-yes…L-lord Yuan Shao. I…My master…er…said, you needed another sorceror. W-well, the Han's…uh…run him out of experienced…um…s-sorcerors…so…yah…I'm the most experienced he's got," stuttered a young girl as she stood face to face with the noble native of Ru Nan. 

"He dares insult me by sending a pathetic eleven year old! Begone, little lass, before I pour my anger out on you," bellowed the man as he stood up furiously, scaring the timid young lady. Despite her exterior features of fiery red hair in pigtails and piercing blue eyes, she wasn't exactly an outgoing or hot-headed person.

"S-sir…at least please read his letter to you that I delivered. H-he figured I'd bet-too shy t-to g-give you the m-message m-myself. I-in fact, I don't k-know what it s-says, but h-he insisted t-that I insist y-you read it. So…p-please…" she continued and then faltered, rather downcast.

Then, the nobleman started laughing, shattering whatever little confidence the girl had left, but he did open up the scroll and read it quickly. And her confidence started to pick up again as he smiled, "Hmm…it seems I've been too hard on you. 'Has great potential and already abilities to match most of my other pupils. Just not the confidence. Above par performance as long as confidence level is maintained. Will develop but do not pressure too much.' So this is what your master thinks of you?"

She slowly nodded, unsure what to say. He continued, "Well, young one, you do understand that in my vocabulary, 'too much pressure' does not exist? No? Well, too bad. But you know what? You're hired, little girl."

She was dumbfounded. What had her master placed in the letter that had changed the noble's mind? Well, whatever it was, it was good! She squealed in delight, thumping her staff on the floor, unabashedly shouting, "YES!" Suddenly, flame shot out from the staff skyward, burning a gaping hole through the command tent's roof.

She blushed, embarrassed, "Err…s-sorry." But the nobleman brow just rose.

Suddenly, he grinned, "Your master was right. I've never seen a fire spell that strong except maybe from the Turbans, intentional or otherwise. Well, says here, 'Personal guarantee that my young cousin, Xue Lin will perform at par and beyond if given decent support.' So you're a young relative of that mage. Then, something like his magic must run in your veins. That's enough for me. As for support, I believe your roommate, a good warrior and a mercenary I have personally sent messengers to for assistance will be good enough. You will be his special assistant. General Zhang He, would you show our esteemed little friend here to her quarters."

The man he signalled to nodded and motioned to her and she followed. As she closed in, she was sort of thrown aback by the general's…er…graceful qualities? He was handsome, but his choice of clothes…um…left a lot to be desired…

The man smiled, "This way, little girl. Your magic earlier, such magnificent flames. Beautiful!"

"Erm…thanks?"

"Yes, but your composure isn't exactly the most graceful. I can teach you…"

"Uh…I'd rather learn by myself."

The twenty two year old sighed, "As you wish. However, there is also nothing beautiful in tardiness."

"But I got here when I…I mean, my master said I would."

Zhang He shrugged, "I meant your roommate. What is taking him so long? Lazy steppe-wandering mercenaries. He was scheduled to show up a few days ago. Well, we'll have to wait. Wonder what happened to him. Some ungraceful delay…And yet I await his arrival for he is said to be beautiful!"

Xue Lin's face was twisted oddly at the sight of him talking. She tried to continue the conversation and finish it properly, "So, this warrior is a lady?"

The man laughed…well, actually, more like giggled, "No, of course not. That kind of beauty has no place on the battlefield, except for mages like you. He's a man of cour-"

Suddenly, a slight purr cut him off and his eyes glowered. He asked, "Do you have a cat?"

She knew from his look to not even dare admit it directly. "N-no. W-why would you ask t-that?"

"I could've sworn I heard one. Baah! Pets are without grace. Such vile creatures. It is good that our beautiful master has banned them from camp. So…"

"…I'll go to bed now. W-would you m-mind?" she finished for him and he just gave her a smirk and a slight nod.

So, her beloved cat was banned in camp. Where would she send Sunbeam to now? And who was this tardy warrior? Oh well…She plopped onto her bed. Well, at least she got into the army and so she whispered into the air, "Thanks, big couz'."

And in a moment, she could've have sworn she heard, "Your welcome, lil' cousin," whispered in the voice of her white bearded master…

* * *

A/N: So that's that…main story starts next chapter…And oh yeah, this is, after all the DW fanfiction section so the personalities are the DW ones, even though I know some of you would kill to see Zhang He portrayed in a manner that is historically accurate…Forgive me if they go out of character sometimes, I have a tendency to do that…And oh yeah, please R and R. And don't be afraid to criticize...I can take a few flames...Never had one onmy old profile, oddly enough... 


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